How to quickly teach a child to swim in the pool: basic techniques and swimming lessons. How and where to teach a child to swim. An 8-year-old child will learn to swim.

Everyone knows that life originated in water. It is no coincidence that almost everyone loves to spend time on bodies of water or in the pool. undeniable. During swimming, all muscle groups work, the cardiovascular system is strengthened, and lung function improves. After water treatments you can relax perfectly. Swimming became possible throughout the year. In summer there are excellent reservoirs for this, and in winter numerous swimming pools offer their services.

Learning to swim from the first days

Teaching a baby to swim from the very first days of his life is quite simple. After all, children have an innate swimming reflex. During all 9 months of intrauterine development, the fetus is in an aquatic environment. It is no coincidence that many parents decide to give birth in the bathroom.

The first lessons with a newborn can be done at home. Up to two months, the baby generally feels great in water and practically does not need the help of parents. But if you miss this time, you will have to start training from scratch. A newborn baby can independently hold his breath under water and perform special swimming movements. Many adults are interested in how children swim underwater. There is nothing surprising about this. Nature has made sure that the newborn feels safe in the aquatic environment.

Swimming lessons with a baby under one year old

Training should begin only when the newborn's umbilical wound has completely healed. The first swimming lesson should be done at home. The bathroom will be quite enough for a small person. It is advisable to conduct training under the supervision of a specialist.

The lesson begins with the baby taking a bath with one of the parents. The water temperature should not be lower than 37 degrees Celsius. The water temperature may drop several degrees with each subsequent session. During the year of study you should reach the mark of 28 degrees Celsius.

The well-being of parents is very important during training. Fears and bad moods can be passed on to the newborn. You should also know how to properly hold your baby while swimming. If the baby is lying on his back, he should be held by the back of his head and butt. In the prone position, you need to support the baby by the chin.

Watching little children swim is always a pleasure. And the realization that such exercises also bring enormous benefits gives rise to even more positive emotions. Swimming makes it possible for a small body to get stronger faster. Children learn to sit, stand on their own legs and walk much faster.

Swimming from the first days - a healthy and calm child

There is no doctor who would deny the benefits of swimming for newborns. Starting classes from an early age, parents solve several problems at once. A very important argument is safety. A child with whom we learn to swim from the very first days of his life will never be afraid of water. This means that the likelihood that he will choke in a pond or be afraid to enter the water at all is practically absent.

It is also no secret that a person’s future health depends on how well they were cared for in the first years of their life. Swimming is an excellent exercise machine. The lessons allow you to lay a truly solid and reliable foundation for future health. This is why it is so important to start your first swimming lessons at an early age.

Another positive side of swimming is hardening. Children gradually get used to the lower water temperature and tolerate temperature changes well. Such babies feel much better in the winter cold and practically do not get sick.

Cons of infant swimming

Despite the great benefits of swimming with a newborn, parents should also be aware of the other side of the coin. In some cases, swimming can have a negative impact on the baby's health. The main reason is that a newborn does not yet know how to express his emotions. He cannot communicate that he does not like the procedure at all. In addition, water may get into the baby's ears or nose while swimming. And this is fraught with otitis media and other inflammatory processes.

Before teaching your child to swim, you should definitely consult with your local pediatrician. It is not recommended to conduct classes with newborns who have birth injuries, as well as low scores on

You should initially decide where to teach your child to swim. After all, during diving, the baby can swallow a little water. A swimming pool with chlorinated water is definitely not a suitable option. After such lessons, the baby may have an upset stomach or suffer from colic. Ideally, you should use boiled or filtered water for bathing.

over a year old

With an older baby, swimming lessons will be a great pleasure. The child will definitely enjoy the procedure. Today, in large cities there are many swimming pools that accommodate groups for various age categories. Kids have fun splashing in the water with their peers. But parents should know, because the depth here is much greater than in a home bathroom.

Parents are always responsible for the safety and well-being of the child. Therefore, during lessons you cannot leave your child even one step. Even though swimming lessons are most often held in a "paddling pool" (a shallow pool), your child may slip or lose his balance. Therefore, before teaching a child to swim, it is advisable to acquire safety equipment. These can be foam products or inflatable rings. Often, special equipment is rented at swimming pools.

What to do if a child is afraid of water?

Some children tolerate even ordinary hygiene procedures in the bathroom very poorly. In this case, the bathing process turns into a real test not only for the child, but also for the parents. One has only to imagine how a child will behave in front of a large volume of water. You definitely need to fight fear!

Fear of water is not a whim or disobedience. The child, on a subconscious level, worries about his safety and life. Therefore, under no circumstances should you shame a child, scold him or set his peers as an example. By following a few simple steps, parents will help their child overcome fear without any problems.

Let's overcome fear and go to the pool!

Do not frighten your child with large volumes of water. Initially, a small basin will be quite enough. It is necessary to turn the bathing process into an exciting game that will stop at the little person’s first request.

Psychologists say that the fear of water largely lies in the reluctance to choke. It is necessary to teach your child to hold his breath correctly. This can be easily done using spray. In this way, you can have fun with your child in the bath, gradually accustoming him to water. Bathing in the bath can also be replaced with a shower. And you should go to swimming lessons for beginners only when the child can normally handle a large volume of water.

Swimming in open water

Swimming outdoors is somewhat different from exercising in a pool. Although clean air and sunshine are good for children's health, swimming outdoors may not be safe. First of all, because we cannot know for sure whether the water is suitable for water procedures. In addition, many unscrupulous visitors leave a lot of garbage on the beaches, some of which ends up in the water.

Those who decide to conduct their first swimming lessons with a child on a pond should give preference to proven places. Ideally, this should be a paid beach, which is regularly cleaned and inspected by sanitary services. This is a place where you can teach a child to swim with the least damage to health.

For those who have a dacha outside the city, an outdoor pool can be an excellent alternative. And it is not at all necessary to build an expensive structure. There are frame pools on sale that are quite easy to install and disassemble. This option is inexpensive and can last well for several years.

Preparing your child for summer holidays

Those parents who did not take care of teaching their children the basics of swimming in a timely manner tend to do this immediately before their vacation. But it is impossible to teach a baby basic techniques in a few days. You must start classes at least a month before your vacation.

It is very important not to rush the child. After all, each person has his own pace of learning. There are children with a special body structure. It is quite difficult for them to stay afloat. These babies will need more lessons to learn to swim really well.

Before going on vacation, your baby needs to purchase a high-quality swimming suit, as well as armbands. An excellent option would be armbands. They will not disturb the child and will allow him to feel more confident in the pond.

Learning to swim on your back

Freestyle swimming is considered the simplest. This is the first way children learn. With each lesson, a good instructor improves the child's skills. Already in the third or fourth lesson, parents are wondering how to teach their child to float on his back.

Learning to swim on your back is a must! First of all, because swimming this way is much easier. A person can stay in the water for a long time, and lying on his back can easily restore his strength. In addition, this body position in the water allows you to breathe better. Babies who can float on their back have better coordination of movements. This, in turn, helps improve brain function and mental development.

Backstroke also has a psychological aspect. The problem is that many children cannot overcome their fear of large amounts of water. Those who manage to float on their back forget about fear forever. In addition, children who have mastered this type of swimming use it almost constantly.

Safe swimming is the key to successful development!

You can talk about the benefits of swimming for hours. Children can and should be taught this activity from an early age. Before teaching a child to swim, you just need to take into account the characteristics of a small organism. If parents do everything right, they will help their child overcome fears and improve their health.

Swimming will definitely become one of your child's favorite activities. Moreover, water procedures can be carried out at any time and in any weather. All you have to do is purchase a pool pass.

At what age should a child be taught to swim? Is teaching swimming a parent's responsibility? Swimming is necessary for a person’s physical and spiritual harmony and physical health. According to the norms of physical development, teaching a child to swim means realizing another of his opportunities inherent in nature. From my own experience I know that by learning to swim at the age of thirty, you get rid of the inferiority complex that has tormented you for many years.

From the point of view of physical education, a person’s life is conventionally divided into 4 periods: the time of recognizing the world (from 0 to 6 years), the time of comprehending the world (from 6 to 12 years), the time of sports games (from 12 to 18 years), the time of individual sports achievements (from 18 to 24).

In each of these periods, certain results must be achieved. Unfortunately, sometimes children do not have the opportunity to learn something in their own time, and in later life it can be very difficult for them to catch up.

First period (from 0 to 6 years)

From the first days of life, an infant becomes familiar with the world around him, making involuntary movements. Gradually his movements become more meaningful. The game involves contact with toys, rattles, surrounding objects, and animals. During this period, the baby's first relationships with the outside world are built. A healthy child is never at rest for a minute while awake. This is provided by nature itself. Babies and older children need free, natural movement. They move involuntarily and parents do not need to use special exercises for their physical development.

Second period (6-12 years)

Time for conscious active movement. The skills and abilities acquired by the child at this important stage will remain with him for life. Children must learn a lot: writing, counting, jumping, skiing, gymnastics, swimming... Some teenagers 10-12 years old feel awkward and ashamed because they don’t know how to ski, skate, bike... Clumsy gait, improper running, inability to swim ... lead to complexes, lack of self-confidence, and low self-esteem. Not all parents understand the importance of a child’s diversified development.

Third period (12-18 years)

Thanks to the natural desire to stand out among their peers, girls or boys achieve high success in certain sports (volleyball, football, tennis...) and develop their physical abilities. At this young age, teenagers feel the need for joint activities (fighting for the honor of their sports team), a sense of comradeship. Teenagers who have not proven themselves in sports games and competitions subsequently find it difficult to make contact with the people around them.

Fourth period (18-24)

This time stage coincides with studenthood and the beginning of working life. A person expresses himself in study, work, sports. During this period, it is important to find your calling. Some achieve high sports records, others, having modest sports achievements, give preference to science, art, and creativity. Even minor sporting victories require maximum effort, which is why for many they are pride.

It is important for parents to take timely care of the physical development of their child, to teach him to control his breathing and body. One of the useful hobbies that can lead to harmonious development of the body is swimming.

Methodology of M. Tartakovsky

The famous swimming coach M. Tartakovsky believes that swimming is the best lung gymnastics. In his opinion, a swimmer’s respiratory muscles work much more actively than when on land (breathing is difficult due to the pressure and resistance of the water).

It is no secret that swimming is unthinkable without active movements and active work of the respiratory muscles, which is important for the full life of children and adults. M. Tartakovsky’s technique allows you to learn how to swim in a pool or pond on your own.

This you need to know:

• A swimmer who does not make any movements in the water breathes much deeper than on land. It has been established that when standing in water for five minutes at a temperature of 24 degrees, the depth of breathing doubles.
• A person feels the same temperature of water and air differently. In water at a temperature of 20 degrees, it loses 3-4 times more heat than at the same temperature in air.
• According to Archimedes' law, the weight of a body is approximately equal to the weight of the water it displaces, so a person cannot lie at the bottom of a pool or reservoir. People who cannot swim mistakenly believe that the depth of the water “pulls you down.”
• Swimming is a physical exercise that promotes body growth in adolescents (during swimming, the human spine (in conditions of partial weightlessness) is relieved of normal gravitational loads).

Swimming lessons using the method of M. Tartakovsky teach how to quickly learn to swim for children and adults.

Basic exercises for learning to swim

Exercise “lie to the bottom”

It is aimed at the ability to stay on the water. Take a deep breath, hold your breath and lie down on the water with your chest open. It is not possible to lie on the bottom, since the water pushes you out and supports you at the surface. You see the bottom, but you can only touch it with your hands when vigorously stroking deep. Raise your arm or leg above the water (then both arms and both legs) and you will immediately feel immersed in the water. Learning to float on water means using the body’s buoyancy correctly. The body should be in a strictly horizontal position, with the nose and mouth above the surface of the water.

Exercise "lying on your back"

Go into the pond up to your waist, lower your arms and sit down in the water up to your shoulders. After taking a deep breath and holding your breath, carefully lie on your back (legs straight, arms extended along your hips). Lie in the water for a few seconds without moving, even though the water will cover your entire body and face. Gradually, your legs will begin to lower, and, bending them, you will again stand at the bottom.

Palm swing exercise.

Repeat the second exercise, “lying on your back” (legs straight, arms with palms down), but to maintain a horizontal position, make down-up movements with your palms. At the same time, do not exhale all the air (it gives additional buoyancy), try to breathe shallowly while lying on your back. “Swinging your palms down and up” helps you learn to lie in the water for as long as possible and breathe shallowly but evenly, keeping one face above the water. Success can come after 15 minutes of diligent practice on this exercise. Remember: you need to maintain a flat body position in the water. Do not sit or bend at the hip joint. The most important rule in swimming is to learn to relax in the water and not strain unnecessarily.

Exercise "movements with straight legs"

Repeat the previous exercise, only it is important to swim with your head towards the shore: lie on your back, supporting yourself afloat with “swings of your palms” (legs are straightened, toes are extended and turned towards each other (inward)). Alternately move your straight legs up and down. Try to make gentle movements with your legs. To consolidate, repeat this exercise several times.

Remember: You cannot swim from the shore, since you have not yet learned to swim.

Perform these four exercises in strict sequence in other classes to acquire basic skills: float on the water, breathe correctly through your mouth and move using straight legs. You need to start the next exercises after mastering the previous ones.

Exercise "boat"

Having folded your hands into a boat (one on top of the other), straighten your arms above your head, tilt your head slightly with your chin to your chest and lie on your back so that the bend of your hands resembles the bow of a ship. Moving your straight legs up and down, swim towards the shore. Hold your breath at first, as your hands and face will be in the water. Repeat the exercise until you learn to maintain a head position that allows you to breathe freely.

Hand rowing exercise

Having entered waist-deep water, raise your arms above your head, turning your palms slightly outward. Rotate your straight arm backwards, one at a time, to rake the water with your palm. While standing in the water and rotating your arms, imagine that you are lying on your back.

Back crawl exercise

Swim to the shore, repeating the entire “boat” exercise (with your arms straight behind your head, move your straight legs evenly). It is important that your face is above the water. This will allow you to breathe through your mouth. Now alternately row backwards with your straight arm, as you did in the previous exercise.

Exercise “transition to the back” (performed in a shallow place)

After taking a deep breath and holding your breath, lie with your chest on the water, as you did in the first exercise (“lie on the bottom”). Trying to touch the bottom, spread your arms to the sides, stretch forward, and flounder in the water with your feet. After completing all these movements, you will make sure that the water is pushing you towards the surface. Without your feet touching the bottom, turn over on your back (so that your mouth is above the surface of the water) and swim to the shore in a crawl.

Repeat the transition from the chest position in the water to swimming on your back several times. The “switching to your back” exercise is a serious test for a novice swimmer to master the basics of swimming.

You can live without knowing how to swim, without knowing how to ride a bicycle, skate, skateboard, ski, rollerblade... However, over time, due to the lack of certain skills, a person begins to feel mental discomfort, shame, regret... Many skills acquired in childhood affect the future on the quality of life, health, attractiveness and safety of a person. It is human nature to strive for excellence, set goals and work on oneself.

Dear reader! Do you think parents are right when they think teaching their child to swim is pointless?

Many parents come to a point when they try to teach their child to swim. It is better to start with special exercises that are designed in such a way that the child is not afraid of water.

How to competently teach a child to swim in the sea?

Many people learn to swim at sea. Salt water is great for staying on the surface.

The main task of parents is to teach, not to scare!

• Using arm sleeves

  It is better to start the learning process with the use of inflatable arm sleeves. They give confidence without restricting movement; children get used to the water perfectly in them. After the child feels confident, you can try to remove them, but it is important that there is no opposite effect - fear, otherwise the baby may refuse to learn swimming for a long time;



• Swimming with a ball

  Swimming with a ball also gives excellent results. A child, under the guidance of an adult, learns to use his legs and breathe correctly, which helps him master the technique and begin to swim independently.

How to teach a child to swim in the pool while playing?

As you know, almost all cities have swimming pools in which there are groups of swimming students of various age categories. The kids enjoy splashing around in the water with their peers. The depth of the children's pool is small, but still greater than in the bathroom at home. Parents are responsible for their child, so no matter what the depth, you cannot take a single step away from him.

The pool should be visited at least 2 times a week. Moms are the best ones to teach a child proper behavior in water: children trust her, they have more patience than dads.

Before you start learning, you need to let your child get used to the water and want to swim. Specially designed games will help with this.

How interesting is it to organize the learning process?

1. "Battleship"

   The child enters the water up to his waist. Other participants in the game stand opposite, after which they begin to splash water, scooping it up with their palms. The one who retreats first loses. This game allows you to get used to getting water in your face, and also trains the muscles in your arms;



2. "Who is faster"

   Floating toys are placed 4 meters from land. Next, the participants in the game, at the signal, must run to the toys, taking one each time. The one who collects the most toys will be the winner. This game will help you learn how to move correctly and quickly in the water;



3. "Inhale-exhale"

   The child enters the water up to his chest, takes a deep breath and plunges his head into the water, where he exhales completely. This exercise will help you get used to diving in water and not be afraid of it;



4. "Stars"

   Children need to lie on their backs in the water, with their arms and legs spread out in different directions, in the shape of a star, with their ears and part of their head immersed in the water. An adult should be nearby and provide backup. The one who lasts in this position the longest wins.

Exercises such as:

• With outstretched arms, the baby must learn to hold on to a special board. If this turns out to be a difficult task for him, then you can start introducing the child to the water at the side of the pool, simply moving his legs intensively;
• If a child can do this exercise with a special swimming board or with a ball, then after some time it is worth adding movements with his hands, supporting him by the chest. As soon as he masters these exercises, it’s time for small swims. The adult needs to move a couple of meters away and invite the child to swim to him. This way the child will learn not to be afraid to swim without parental support.

An important point is such a moment as praising the child. The more adults enjoy success and support, the faster the result will be!

If parents are unable to teach their child to swim on their own, then you can seek the help of a coach. In this case, the recommended age of the child is 6-8 years. Before reaching this age, children do not always understand what the instructor wants from them.

Many people believe that this is a secret area that no one should know anything about.

Others think that this is any relationship between a man and a woman.

Still others mean by this concept a life associated with personal interests that have nothing to do with official and social activities. Each point of view is not without meaning.

From a legal position, personal life is considered as the sphere of everyday, family, intimate and other relationships, freed from the burden of social tasks.

Psychologists consider it as a sphere of individual personality development. There is a whole area dedicated to providing services to improve this aspect of life through improvement

Let's talk about it?
I ask you not to point your finger at anyone and not to remember well-known names known to everyone.
Although - yes, inspired

The conversation is general, for everyone.

Sophia

I'm registering my youngest for kindergarten. We went through all the doctors, we are going to the local pediatrician so that he can put the latest notes on the card. But she refused to accept me! She said we need to sign up! Its working hours, there is not a single person in line at all! Did she have the right? Can a doctor really refuse without an appointment? I’m going to sign up at the registry office, today there was 1 coupon for it, but they never gave it to me, they say, it’s a doctor’s registration sheet. Even if I have a coupon, they won’t give it to me! Is this normal?

Gerbera is waiting for summer

Girls, a question for “chat” and to listen to your opinion, I myself am in doubt. We are going to Anapa by train in a reserved seat (yes, yes, I’m toad pressured to overpay for a compartment, because I can spend this money on something more interesting on vacation). The drive is a little over a day. My daughter is going to the camp (I paid for her travel to the camp and back along with the entire camp), and my son and I are going to the beach complex. I initially bought tickets for the same train that my daughter was traveling on (we found out later that it coincided), but the seats were on the side top/bottom in the middle of the car. Yesterday I went to the Russian Railways website, and another train appeared there, it leaves 20 minutes later than the one that goes to the camp and it is full of normal seats (not side ones). Yesterday I bought tickets for this train too, the two bottom shelves in the second compartment. And now I’m sitting and thinking about which one is better to drive. Among the advantages of the first train - I bought hot lunches, it is a regular train, there are not bad reviews about it; the downside is the side shelves, and when I bought it for the whole train on the first day of sales, they only gave me a dozen side seats (the rest are all occupied), which means that there will be a camp in my carriage. One of the advantages of the second is that the shelves are not side, both are lower; cons - you can’t buy hot lunches, there are no reviews for this train, the train is seasonal. In both cases, an air conditioner, a dry closet, no animals in the carriage. I’m sitting here and thinking, which one should I choose?
P.S. Sorry for the many letters!)

Evgenia Evgenia

There are two favorite boys of the same age. The problem may be far-fetched, but my conscience does not give me peace. The boys are very similar, growing at approximately the same pace and rhythm. They were even born with the same height and weight, three days apart. It turns out that the elder always gets the clothes for the younger. Now the second one will go to first grade in the fall, all the clothes of the older one will be perfect for him. And shoes too. For the eldest, of course, we will buy new ones. My mother-in-law nags me, they say, why is the other one in rags, we both need to buy new things, otherwise it’s not fair, she’ll feel second-rate, that’s not how it’s done. It seems like a sound idea, while there were small ones, no one noticed what was new or not new, and that’s all. And now it seems like it’s not really working out. On the other hand, we buy quality things, but we don’t have time to take them out, which is a pity. Where should I put them? Especially in terms of outerwear, you can't get enough. We are not poor, but my husband is far from an oligarch.

Larisa Ivanova

No fantasies, just reality. Alas.
Several years of relationship with her husband led to the transformation of a fairy tale into an endless scandal. Both have infertility as one of the reasons. After much torment, a daughter was born. And he left, to a woman with a 10-year-old daughter. They still live, that girl calls him father. I didn’t want a divorce and didn’t give it, I sincerely expected it back. In response, he did all the nasty things he could. He took all the money, alimony amounted to 4,000, and did not communicate with his daughter.
I went into deep depression and went to work. My daughter is mostly at her grandmother’s and in kindergarten. I try to be friends with my daughter, hug/caress her, but I understand that she essentially doesn’t evoke any emotions in me. I didn’t start a new relationship - not a single man fell deeply into my soul.
Every year I took my daughter to the sea abroad. A few days ago there was an attempt to take her out again - they turned her away at customs. The father established a ban on the removal of the child.
For the first time in these years I called him. He said he forgot about the ban. I was actively involved in filming. He went with me to the notary and signed the permission. I asked for photos and videos and was “surprised” that I was not against their communication.
At the same time, he delicately asked us to call only during working hours and to check our daughter out of his mother’s apartment. In response to my offer to see my daughter or talk, he asked what she knew about him. I explained that she doesn’t have another father, but her daughter doesn’t know about him. She suggested that he explain it to her on his own or talk on the phone. He refused, saying that I was making a mistake and he would explain everything to me and my daughter later.
As a result, my thoughts that the depression was over and I was living again disappeared into oblivion. After so many years and baseness, his voice is still the most familiar on the phone. My daughter still drives me into hidden melancholy. The relationship with the mother is catastrophic, but we have to live together because of raising our daughter.
I really want to escape from everything... Rewrite... And stop blaming myself for everything. I live on sleeping pills and sedatives. I'm waiting for his next call - he promised to call back in a few days and inform me about the lifting of the travel ban.

As you know, a child learns best at an early age. The human psyche is designed in such a way that the body learns to imitate adults from an early age. Using this feature for the necessary purposes, you can quickly teach a child anything, showing him how to do it.

However, parents do not always use this opportunity. That is why the question arises: how can a 12-year-old child learn to swim? Let's try to figure it out.

To begin with, it must be said that a child of 12 years old is unlikely to be able to learn to swim on his own, no matter how much he might want to do so. And it’s not safe to leave him alone in the water, despite the fact that he seems to be old enough.

It is best to teach in closed reservoirs or because... there is absolutely no flow in them, which significantly complicates the learning process. Experienced trainers recommend starting classes with training the respiratory system. Therefore, ask your child to take a deep breath and plunge headlong, holding his breath for as long as possible. Only then can you begin buoyancy exercises.

Perhaps the most popular of them is "float". The child should take a deep breath, bend his legs at the knees and tuck them under himself, clasping them with his arms. He should remain in this position as long as he can.

Another exercise of this type could be "star". It can be performed both on the back and on the stomach. Holding his breath, the child lies down on the water, spreading his arms and legs wide. This exercise allows you to perfectly learn to feel the water and not be afraid of it.

After mastering these exercises, you can use your arms and legs to perform strokes with them. Children learn to swim on their back most quickly, because... this is psychologically easier, because the face does not come into contact with water and it does not seem to him that he will choke.

Special attention must be paid to proper breathing. The main mistake children make is that, while in water, they try to breathe as usual, which is wrong. When swimming, breathing is carried out in so-called jerks: when inhaling, the swimmer captures a portion of air and then, after performing a movement with his hands, exhales. This helps to stay on the water.

Before you teach a 12-year-old child to swim, you need to explain to him all the nuances described above. It is best if the parent, during training, first demonstrates the exercise himself, and then asks his child to repeat after him.

In addition, you must always remember about safety in the water. No matter how much you think that your 12-year-old child can learn to swim on his own, do not leave him alone in the water. He could easily swallow water, after which he would need medical attention.